Unit 4 Processing, Conditioning & Storage PDF

Processing, Conditioning & Storage Academic Vocabulary ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● pulsing vase-life acidifier dry-pack transpiration bacterial growth hydrating solution floral preservative SLIDESMANIA.COM NNutr Unit 4 Objective Students will be able to briefly describe the anatomy of flowers & leaves and disc...

Processing, Conditioning & Storage Academic Vocabulary ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● pulsing vase-life acidifier dry-pack transpiration bacterial growth hydrating solution floral preservative SLIDESMANIA.COM NNutr Unit 4 Objective Students will be able to briefly describe the anatomy of flowers & leaves and discuss the storage requirements & techniques for working with specific goods. Upcoming Events Pre-Treatment To prevent buds, leaves or flowers from wilting & falling out prematurely pretreatments may consist of: 1. pulsing, where the grower puts cut flowers into a low-temperature sugar solution for several hours to extend their vase life (the length of useful life of a cut flower after being received by a customer) 2. Using a citric acid solution, which is an acidifier, meaning it adjusts the acidity of the stems to a level that encourages the uptake of water & nutrients Needs of Cut Flowers ○ ○ ○ water nutrients refrigeration Packing & Transporting Yet growers often dry-pack flowers, which is the shipment of flowers out of water! When flowers are removed from refrigeration for packing, their temperature begins to rise because of respiration. Respiration is the process in which stored food reserves are converted into useful energy for the plant. Processing & Conditioning 1. Inspect flowers 2. Use a clean, sharp floral knife to cut the stem at an angle 2”-3” above the sealed stem and remove all foliage from the stem that is below the water level to prevent bacterial growth 3. Re-hydrate with a hydrating solution (citric acid solution that causes flowers to take up water rapidly to prevent dehydration after flowers being dry packed) 4. Use floral preservative (chemicals consisting of ingredients that when added to water extend the vase life by lowering the pH) ● 3 primary ingredients: sugar, biocide and acidifier Storage Refrigeration of fresh product with a combination of low temperature and high humidity helps slow down respiration, reduce water lost by transpiration (the process of plants losing water through stomata in their leaves) slows down maturity and reduces microbial growth and development. An ideal temperature range to keep your refrigerator is at 38-40 degrees. General Flower Care Prep & Care 101